Yala is God’s Patch of Land for Leopards Says World Renowned Wildlife Celebrities Jonathan & Angelina Scott of Sri Lanka's Yala National Park

21st July 2011, www.ft.lk

“If ever God created a patch of land for the leopards in this world, it must be Yala National Park in Sri Lanka” said the world renowned wild life celebrities Jonathan and Angelina Scott addressing the audience at a special event held to present their work on leopards at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel on 09th July. Expressing their views on this Jonathan and Angie Scott further said that “In other wild life parks around the world, leopards are under the threat from predators like Lions and hyenas. But in Sri Lanka they don’t face such situation, they are free to move about and more secured in the wild than other leopards in the world “.

Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park is recognized of having one of the highest densities of leopard population in the world and this comment made by Jonathan and Angelina is certainly going to compliment this position held by the national park.

The two celebrities were touring in Sri Lanka for the first time and spent twelve days experience the Local culture, rich history and heritage of Sri Lanka and studying the Leopards of Sri Lanka at the Yala National park. Lead by the Head of Wild Life Tourism for John Keells Hotels Chitral Jayatilake and the Nature Trails team, Jonathan and Angela were able to make seventeen sightings of leopards in Yala and captured tremendous images of their behavior in the wild, which is said to be one of the best collection of leopard photographs ever taken in their natural environment. These photographs will no doubt showcase the most sought after animal of Sri Lanka in the wild as one of Sri Lanka’s tourism icons to the world.

Jonathan and Angie Scott live in Kenya in Africa and spend much of their time in the company of African wildlife. Their wildlife photography, wildlife pencil drawings, and wildlife books have won awards and recognition for their work throughout the world.

Big cats have been the focus of much of Jonathan and Angie’s work and the basis for a number of books including three titles accompanying the hugely popular BBC television series Big Cat Diary or Big Cat Week that Jonathan co-presents.

Angie takes the production stills for the series and is a game spotter.

John Keells Hotels together with Nations Trust Bank and American Express have organized the special event held for Jonathan & Angie Scott to present their work at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo and share with the audience their latest film, shot in Africa about the secret leopard.

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